The present invention relates to cabinets configured to house computer equipment in data centers, and more specifically to cabinets with coolers that contain two radiators for receiving coolant from different main coolant supply lines.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) currently recommends that the temperature of air entering a cabinet should be between 18° C. to 27° C. However, the inlet air temperature may reach up to 32° C. for short periods of time without adverse consequences.
A cooler cools exhaust air from a cabinet. Coolant (i.e., chilled water) from a coolant distribution unit (CDU) enters the cooler and is heated by the cabinet's exhaust air. Thus, heat from the exhaust air is transferred to the coolant. The heated coolant leaves the cooler and returns to the CDU, where it is once again cooled. The CDU acts as a buffer between the coolant circulating in the data center and coolant used by a chiller plant.
Failure of a coolant supply line due, for example, to a coolant leak requires shutting a valve supplying coolant to the supply line. Such a failure typically results in some cabinets not cooling the exhaust air. In a conventional arrangement of coolant supply, a temporary coolant supply line shutdown may cause localized inlet air temperature to quickly increase beyond 32° C. Such a temperature rise may require shutdown of the electronic equipment in the cabinet to prevent overheating.